Karen's solo outtakes / other 'unreleased' tracks

[Chris_Sydney]

I don't know if this is a really taboo subject to bring up here, but what 'unreleased' songs are floating around in cyberspace? I tracked down a great sounding MP3 of 'Can't Buy Me Love' from Your Navy Presents, and I have a handful of the Karen outtakes in varying quality. What's the best quality versions of these that are out there? There is such a discrepancy in the quality of the ones I have.

Also, are there MP3's of 'Thank You For The Music' (Tonight Show) and Richard's 'Together Again At Christmas Time' that anyone has their hands on? If someone could point me in the right direction, I'd be extremely grateful...

Now, in a completely-not-an-attempt-to-cover-up-a-potentially-wrong-thing-I-just-asked segue, how's the weather everyone?




x

 

[Mike Blakesley]

There's nothing wrong with this topic, as long as you don't use the forum to trade copies of unreleased work, or put up links to mp3s of said work, etc. But discussing it is totally fine.

 

[davidgra]

This topic is always cause for uneasiness -- it does feel taboo, even if it's just a discussion.

It makes me think that there is material for one more "Carpenters" album -- the theme would be "Carpenters and Friends."

The majority of the non-solo unreleased recordings are songs that were recorded by Karen and Richard and various other singers. I've long felt that all these songs collected together would make a very nice album. These songs include:

Carpenters and John Denver: "Comin' Through the Rye/Good Vibrations"

Carpenters and Andy Williams: "Ticket to Ride/I'll Never Fall In Love Again"

Carpenters and John Davidson: serveral duets from TV specials, including the "Boogie Nights/I Could Have Danced All Night" medley and the original versions of the songs from MUSIC MUSIC MUSIC

Carpenters and Suzanne Somers: "Man Smart, Woman Smarter"

Carpenters and Kristy McNichol: "Christmas Alphabet"

Carpenter and Gene Kelly: "Adeste Fideles"

Carpenters and Georgia Engal: "Stille Nacht"

Carpenters and their band: "Cant' Buy Me Love," "Cinderella Rockafella" and "Sacre Bleu"

Adding in the Ella Fitzgerald and Perry Como medleys, you'd have quite a substantial release.

This is, of course, only the stuff that is floating around in cyberspace -- there are probably "new" songs that could be created from work leads or solo album outtakes that could be duets (like Natalie Cole singing with her dad).

I know I've brought this up before, but I'm going to keep talking about it until Richard listens...

David

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

David, let's also not forget their 2nd appearance:

Carpenters and Carol Burnett-Pretty cool medley of hits "Just an old fashioned love song" "We've Only Just Begun" "I Kept on Loving You (yes a rare live recording), "Let me be the One" ends w/ Just an old fashioned love song.

There is also another Carpenters-Carol Burnett medly when they appeared the first time.

 

[Gordo]

I love the Carol Burnett clips -- it's clear how much Carol enjoyed singing with them, and it's fun to kind of live vicariously through her in that footage.

I believe it was once suggested in this forum that Because We Are In Love would make for a great duet. Karen sang both parts in the original, so she could retain one part and a current female singer could take the other. If Karen were the mother, the daughter part would work for a young singer (uh, no American Idol types, please!). If Karen were the daughter, it would be fun to have one of her then-contemporaries (e.g., Olivia Newton John, or even Petula Clark) play the mother.

 

[Johnny Angel]

Elvis Presley does a WONDERFUL version of Solitaire...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTP4xWXafOw


Wouldn't it would be awesome if someone could do a re-mix with Elvis and Karen singing alternate verses, and singing together on the chorus...?

Or perhaps a version of Nat King Cole or Frank Sinatra singing When I Fall In Love with Karen...

 

[Chris May]

I have always LOVED Karen's vocals on "Dance In The Old Fashioned Way" taken from one of the specials. John Davidson's voice to me always stamped "ABC" when he'd sing, a little too generic for my taste, but when Karen came in with her opening line in that tune right at the key change, I remember completely flipping out! Hahahaha.... I still do from time to time when I hear that recording. -Chris

 

[Dave60640]

I completely agree Chris! I know I've worn RC's patience thin requesting him to re-do this cut with his vocals in place of John Davidson's. I always get "no plans at this time" reply to my request.
I also loved the "Boogie Nights" snippet (which was recorded as just that- a snippet) from the same show/medley.